Machine for trimming grand-piano cases



J. KLEPAC Er AL MACHINE FOR TRIMMING GRAND PIANO CASES Dec. 15

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Filed Feb. 21, 1923 Y 1.565.573 J. KLEPAC ET AL MACHINE FOR TRIMMING GRAND PIANO CASES Dec. 15, 1925 Filed Feb. 21, 192: 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 x Q h N INVE TOR BY Zonal sw b q 4 W7 ATTORNEYA Patented Dec. 15, 1 925.

UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

JOSEPH KLEIPAO, 01? NET? YORK, N. Y., AND LOUIS MATIRKO, OF ELIZABETH, NEW

JERSEY, ASSIGNORS T BRAMBACH PIANO (30., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A COR- PORATION OF NEW YORK.

MACHINE FOR TRIMMING GRANb-PIANO CASE S.

Application filed February 21, 1923. Serial No. 620,376.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JosnrH KLnPAo and LOUIS MATIRKO, citizens of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of Bronx and State of New York, and the city of Elizabeth, county of Union, and State of New Jersey, respectively, have invented a new and useful Improvementin a Machine for Trimming Grand-Piano Cases,

of which the following is a specification.

The object of our invention is to provide a suitable means for accurately trimming the upper and lower edges ofa grand piano case, and partioularlya so called baby'grand case, by means of which such a case may readily and rapidly be brought to the desired dimensions with accuracy and certainty. This and other objects are accomplished by our invention, certain embodiments of which are hereinafter more particularly set forth.

For a more detailed description of our invention, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part here of, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective View of a baby grand case in our machine.

Figure 2 shows a cutting device for said machine.

Figure 3 shows this cutter operating on this case while in this machine, and

Figure 4 is a perspective view, taken on the line 4-4: of Figure 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Throughout the various views of the drawings similar reference characters designate similar parts. A piano case 1 is trimmed by being clainped in the pivoted frame 2 while the same is in a vertical position, as shown in Figure 1, and then the frame and case are thrown into a horizontal position, as shown in Figure 3 and saw 3 is applied to out an edge of the case 1.

The case 1 with the sounding board 4 is placed in a vertical position and clamped in the frame 2 where it is held by clamps 5 (see Figure 4) any number of which may be employed, at any desired location, and each clamp has a handle 6, a screw 7 a nut 8 fixed to the frame 2 and a block 9 pivotally connected to the screw which may be forced against the case 1 so as to hold it firm and true while cut by the saw 3. The case 1 at its open end is further reinforced by lnternal braces 10 while in the frame 2.

Once the case is so clamped in the frame,

the frame is thrown into a horizontal position by being turned on the pivots 11 and 12 which rise from suitable supports 13 and 14 and a pivoted leg 15 is lowered to hold the frame in place. This leg is on the heavier side so as to give a firm Support. This frame may be locked by a pin and hole construction which are described below. When in this position, the frame has an upper guiding surface 16 and a lower guiding surface 17, both of which are true and designed to receive the saw 3.

The saw 3 is at the lower end of a vertical armature shaft 18 of a motor'19 which receives power through a cable 20. The motor 19 is supported by a frame 21 which rises from a base 22 composed of layers 23, 24, 25 and 26 which are held together by dowels so that one or more layers may be removed if desired, so .as to shift the level of the saw 3 with regard to the surface on which the base rests. The base 22 is nearly heart shape in plan and is provided with two curved faces 27 which are adapted to engage a face of a piano case while the saw 3 cuts the same and while the bottom layer rests on the guiding surface 16 or 17.

Sometimes it is desirable to cut the case 1 at two levels. If this be desired, the higher level is first cut all round and then the bottom block is removed and a second out made at the desired part of the case at the lower level and then an ordinary hand saw used to connect the two outs. When all cuts from one face are made, say the face 17 the saw is removed, the frame is reversed and if necessary the layer restored to the base of the saw which is then placed on the other face, say the face 16 and a second cut made the same as before. While all cuts are being made, sawdust may be ejected by the'saw 3 through an opening 28 in the base 22. Afterthe cuts have been made, as above described, the trimmed off portions are removed, and then the frame is changed to a vertical position and the piano case unclamped and removed, and thereafter a second case may be inserted and treated the same as the first.

It is important that the frame be locked in a horizontal or vertical position so as to hold the same secure when desired, and this may be done in any of several ways, as by providing the frame with perforations 29 which register with corresponding perforations 30 in. the supports 13 and 14 for the pivots 11 and 12, and then providing a pin 31 which may be inserted in or removed from said perfor tions when they register. A string or chain 32 may be provided to prevent the pin 31 from being lost.

lVhile we have shown and described one embodiment of our invention, it is obvious that it is not restricted thereto, but that it is broad enough to cover all structures that come within the scope of the annexed claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim Is:

1. Means for receiving and fitting a grand piano case and holding the same, and means above and below said receiving means for guiding a cutting tool while trimming the edges of said case.

2. A frame adapted to receive and lit a grand piano case provided wit-h two pivots, mountings for said pivots and guiding sur faces in different planes for guiding a cutting tool while trimming the edges of a piano case held in the frame.

3. A frame for holding and fitting a grand piano case, means for clamping the case 1n the frame, meansifor pivoting the frame, means for guiding a cutting tool in various planes while trnnnung the edges of the case and means for supportmg one side of the frame while an edge is being trimmed.

f. In a frame of the class described, means for receiving,,fitting, and clamping a grand piano case, guiding faces in different planes on said frame and means I01 lot-5mg the frame so that either of said faces may be uppermost.

5. A frame for holding and fitting a grand piano case, means on opposite sides of said frame for guiding a cutting tool, and a cutting: tool having parts resting on either of said guiding means and parts restingagainst said piano case.

6: In a machine of the class described, means for clamping-fitting, and holding a grand piano case, guiding means secured to opposite sides of said holding means, a cutting tool with a base adapted to rest on either of said guiding means whereby to trim either edge of the case, said base havingseveral layers, one or more of which may be removed or inserted to change the level at which the cutting tool will operate on a case.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto afiixed our signatures.

JOSEPH KLEPAC. LOU-IS MATIRKO. 

